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How Giving Birth Makes Sense: A Questionnaire Study on Existential Meaning-Making Among Mothers Giving Birth Preterm or at Term

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Abstract

Background

Women’s reflections on existential meaning-making in relation to giving birth may seem indistinct in maternity services and have not been thoroughly explored in secular contexts. However, research suggests that childbirth accentuates spiritual and existential considerations and needs even in secular contexts highlighting the importance of care for such needs in maternity care practices. The objectives of this study were two-fold: Firstly, to explore how first-time mothers, living in a secular context, experience their first birth in relation to existential meaning-making. Secondly, to describe the relationship between existential meaning-making reflections and gestational week at birth.

Methods

A nationwide cross-sectional study in Denmark based on the questionnaire “Faith, existence and motherhood” was conducted in 2011. Eight core items related to birth experience informed this study. The cohort was sampled from the Danish Medical Birth Registry and consisted of 913 mothers having given birth 6–18 months previously. Twenty-eight per cent had given birth preterm (PT) and 72% had given birth at full-term (FT). A total of 517 mothers responded.

Results

In relation to the birth of their first child, both FT and PT mothers answered, that they had existential meaning-making reflections. The consent to the 8 items ranged from 17 to 73% among FT mothers and from 19 to 58% among PT mothers. Mothers who gave birth preterm mainly identified the negative aspects of birth, whereas mothers, who gave birth at full-term, to a higher degree identified positive aspects.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that not only traumatic birth events accentuate existential reflections, but that even normal childbirth to most mothers is an existential event. However, the quality of existential reflections differs when comparing normal and traumatic birth. The study points towards change in education and organization of maternity care to better care for existential needs and reflections specific to every new mother and birthing woman.

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Availability of Data and Material

The data that support the findings of this study are available from Odense Patient data Explorative Network, but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under licence for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are however available from the authors upon reasonable request and with permission of the Danish data protection agency.

Abbreviations

MMM:

Meaning-making matrix

FT mothers:

Full-term mothers with ≥ 37 completed weeks of gestation

PT mothers:

Mothers giving birth preterm before the 32nd week of gestation

OPEN:

Odense Patient data Explorative Network

OR:

Odds ratios

CI:

Confidence intervals

EVS:

European value survey

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the participants who contributed their knowledge and time as well as midwife Karen Andreasen for statistical and interpretational support.

Funding

There have been no sources of outside funding for this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College South Denmark, Degnevej 16, 6705, Esbjerg Ø, Denmark

    Line Bruun Hansen & Christina Prinds

  2. University Library of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohrs Vej 9-10, 6700, Esbjerg Ø, Denmark

    Line Bruun Hansen

  3. Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark

    Niels Christian Hvidt

  4. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000, Odense C, Denmark

    Katrine Ernst Mortensen & Chunsen Wu

  5. Department of Clinical Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Kløvervænget 10, 5000, Odense C, Denmark

    Chunsen Wu & Christina Prinds

  6. OPEN – Odense Patient Data Explorative Network, Odense University Hospital, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark

    Christina Prinds

Authors
  1. Line Bruun Hansen
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  2. Niels Christian Hvidt
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Contributions

LBH wrote the draft article while NCH and CP substantively revised it. LBH, NCH, KEM and CP all made substantial contributions to the development and design of the study, assessing it critically for scientific content as well as methodical meticulousness including data interpretation. CW provided methodical expertise on the statistical analyses as well as data interpretation. All authors read and provided final prove of the manuscript to be submitted and are accountable of every aspects of the work to warrant systematic accuracy and scientific integrity.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Line Bruun Hansen.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have disclosed that they have no significant relationships with, or financial interest in, any commercial companies pertaining to this article and thereby no competing interests to declare.

Ethical Approval

The study was conducted in accordance with the Danish Act on Processing of Personal Data and approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency (permit number 2014-41-2836, October 27th, 2010/November 24th, 2015).

Informed Consent

The voluntary nature of participation and the right to withdraw at any time was also explained to participants and in tune with the Danish national regulations concerning informed consent, participation was considered a retrieval of that.

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Hansen, L.B., Hvidt, N.C., Mortensen, K.E. et al. How Giving Birth Makes Sense: A Questionnaire Study on Existential Meaning-Making Among Mothers Giving Birth Preterm or at Term. J Relig Health 60, 335–353 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01106-4

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